agriculture and estates / crime and defence representation / services to union members

Richard Thomas

Partner

tel: 0844 346 3138
email: rthomas@walkersmithway.com
office: Chester

Richard has worked at Walker Smith Way for 14 years and is head of the crime and defence representation department. Richard is also a duty solicitor and has Higher Court Rights. This means that he can represent clients at the Crown Court without the need to instruct a barrister. Richard has appeared before the Crown Court in relation to all categories of offences, including murder, attempted murder, drugs supply, sexual offences, indecent images of children, and all types of assault, fraud and theft.

Richard has recently successfully represented a female charged with murder before the Crown Court. She was found not guilty after a trial. He has also represented clients at the Court of Appeal, having sentences reduced from ten years imprisonment to seven years for wounding, and 16 months to 12 months for drugs supply. Richard conducts his own trials and had a client recently found not guilty of theft of £4000 from her employer at Birmingham Crown Court after a week-long trial.

Richard also specialises in all types of private prosecution. He has successfully represented clients charged with animal cruelty offences, trading standards offences, and education act offences. All of these acquittals occurred before the Magistrates Court.

Richard is one of the few lawyers in Chester, specialising in criminal law, who have received a 5 star rating from the Good Lawyer Guide for "outstanding legal practice". The Legal500, a UK guide to the legal industry, has ranked Walker Smith Way as a Top Tier firm for Crime in the region, and commends Richard's work highlighting him as a "Leading Individual".

Richard is a member of the Chester and Ellesmere Port's 24 Hour Police Station and Court Duty Solicitor schemes.

"Walker Smith Way's Richard Thomas focuses on regulatory work, but was also recently successful in defending a murder allegation and a high-profile harassment case" Legal 500 - the leading guide to the UK legal industry, 2012 edition